cmlabs Official Writing Guideline for Australia Region

NO. 00282/PP/CID/VI/2024

1. Language Aspects

A. Dominant Dialects

• Standard dialect: General Australian (e.g ‘capsicum’ for ‘pepper’)
• Mostly use British English, but there are American English as well (for some vocabs, e.g Eggplant, BrE: Aubergine)
• Influence from Aboriginal Language (for places, flora, fauna, e.g Kangaroo)
• Have similar dialects to New Zealand.

B. Slang

• Slang Glossary A-Z: https://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/aussie-slang.pdf
• Word use varies by area the most. In New South Wales, swimming suits are called cossies, or swimmers. In Queensland, they are called togs. Meanwhile, in Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia, and South Australia, they are called bathers. 
• Other examples of slang:
• Arvo: afternoon
• Barbie: barbecue
• Smoko: cigarette break
• Aussie: Australian
• Straya: Australia
• Some slang can also be found in news.
• But, in a professional context, Australians do not prefer the use of slang.

C. Common Expressions

In informal verbal and written communication, Australians speak in slang expressions, such as:

• It’s chockers in here: it’s crowded in here
• Good on ya: well done

To see more: https://oxfordhousebcn.com/en/10-essential-australian-expressions/

D. Communication Styles

• Direct: There's no need to read between the lines when people express what they intend.
• Low Context: There should be no assumption of prior knowledge. In this case, the message must be made clear. 
• Informal: When communicating, status or hierarchies are not relevant or taken into account.
• Restrained: They rarely show emotion while communicating, but they do happen more frequently among Australians of Italian and Greek descent. 

Australian Blog Writing Guideline:

• When selecting tools, always select English (AUS) as EN AUS occasionally comprises American, British, and Old English. 
• Write in short paragraphs containing 1-3 sentences, so make sure to deliver the idea concisely. 
• Deliver your content in the “inverted pyramid” method which starts with the most newsworthy information (5W+1H), important details supporting the ideas, and other additional information. 
• Avoid using jargon while writing for the blog. 
• Highlight some words if needed by using colour, bold, or italics. 
• Ensure that you give original, clear, concise, readable, and understandable content to your audience.
• It is improper to begin a statement in an informal or conversational style and then transition into a formal one in the next sentence.
• In one sentence, do not address someone by his first name; instead, use his surname in the following phrase, and vice versa.

2. Technical Aspects

A. Grammar and Spelling

Australian English is a combination of British and American. Australian English most closely approaches British English in spelling. For example, EN AUS use "colour” and maintain the “u”. In addition, EN AUS use the “ise” approach like “realise” instead of “ize” like “realize”. 

Additionally, some American grammar is used in Australian English. Instead of saying "enquire," the term "inquire" is frequently used. EN AU also uses “program” instead of the British English term "programme". 

Australian English also follows American English grammar for collective nouns. For example, Australian English uses “the basketball team has won the match” instead of “the basketball team have won the match”.

However, Australian English has a different way of irregular past tense and past participles of verbs like ‘spell’ and ‘smell’, which become ‘spelt’ and ‘smelt’, respectively. Last but not least, when referring to numbers like 1,100, Australians are more likely to say "eleven hundred" than "one thousand and one hundred."

Writing Date and Times

For more information regarding how to write date and time in Australian English, read the guidelines by the Australian Government. 

Italics

Don’t use italics for:

• large blocks of text
• material that would normally be in italics but is set apart (such as a list of titles under a heading)
• aggregation pages

Overuse of italics detracts from the readability, accessibility, and usefulness of the information.

For more information regarding how to write italics in Australian English, read the guidelines by the Australian Government. 

Currency

• The Australian currency is in dollars and cents.
• Use the dollar symbol $ and the cent symbol ¢.
• In the text, Australian dollars are identified as AUD.

3. Cultural Aspects

A. Cultural Sensitivities

Indigenous people, who are both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, live in Australia. Therefore, realising that there isn't a single, cohesive "Australian Indigenous culture" is crucial. 

In modern Australia, the labels "Indigenous," "Aboriginal," and "Torres Strait Islander" are often employed. It's crucial to remember that these names are a remnant of colonisation. In addition, note that the word "Aboriginal" applies only to the Aboriginal population of mainland Australia and may not include the other Indigenous population of Australia (the Torres Strait Islanders).

In general, both Australian First Nations people and the word "Indigenous" are used interchangeably. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are referred to as such nationally most frequently by the Commonwealth Government and in official situations.

The word "Indigenous" is disfavored by certain Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people because they believe it oversimplifies the variety of cultures it refers to in Australia. Therefore, don't use this word to describe a specific person. When feasible, it is recommended to refer to people as "First Nations" or “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.”

When speaking of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, no longer relevant words like "full-blood," "half-caste," "quarter-caste," and "quadroon" are exceedingly disrespectful and should never be used.

Not only that, it's advisable to stay away from acronyms such as ATSI, TI, TSI, and others that stand for "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander." Additionally, all three terms "Aboriginal," "Torres Strait Islander," and "Indigenous" should have their first letters capitalised.

Moreover, the terms "Aborigine," "Aborigines," or "Abos" should never be used. These very derogatory phrases are a reflection of the language from the assimilation and colonisation eras. Use the terms "Aboriginal" or "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander" in their place. 

Equally important, it is unacceptable to make assumptions about someone's Aboriginal identification based only on their skin tone. For more information regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, read the guidelines by the Australian Government. 

In conclusion, if you want to create personalised content about Australia, make sure to follow the social and cultural values of this country. 

4. Prohibited Content

A. Hate speech and discriminatory content

In Australia, what constitutes hate speech is: when someone is victimised because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, national origin, colour, gender identity, religion, handicap, or status with HIV/AIDS. Different states of Australia have their policies regarding this. 

B. Illegal activities or content

• What is considered illegal content in Australia:
• Child pornography or child abuse
• Content that shows extreme sexual violence or materials that are overly violent
• Material that demonstrates, promotes, or incites crimes or violent acts; and
• Content that promotes terrorism or encourages terrorist acts.
• Class 1 Illegal and Restricted Content based on the National Classification Scheme:
• Relates to, depicts, or handles in any other way topics related to sex, drug abuse or addiction, criminality, cruelty, violence, or other repulsive or disgusting phenomena in a way that violates the moral and appropriate standards that most reasonable adults would find acceptable to the point where they shouldn't be classified as that.  
• Describes or portrays in a way that is likely to offend a reasonable adult, a person who is under the age of eighteen or who seems to be one (regardless of whether the person is having sex), or 
• Encourages, provokes, or provides guidance on criminal or violent matters. 
• Class 2 Illegal and Restricted Content based on the National Classification Scheme:
• X18+ (or, in the case of publications, category 2 restricted), or  
• R18+ (or, in the case of publications, category 1 restricted) under the National Classification Scheme, because it is considered inappropriate for general public access and/or for children and young people under 18 years old.  

C. Violent or graphic content

What is considered prohibited content in Australia:

• ‘Refused Classification’ (RC): A classification category that applies to movies, video games, and books that are not allowed to be lawfully imported, hired, sold, or marketed in Australia. Content that is RC-classified is extremely impactful and deviates from widely acknowledged community norms.
• The Australian Classification Board rates it as only suitable for viewers who are over the age of 18.

For example, prohibited content might include:

• Resources that promote acts of violence, illegal activity, or risky behaviour (such as producing weapons, using drugs, or committing fraud or terrorism)
• Extremely explicit sexual actions that might offend a responsible adult.
• Information that depicts or describes suicide or self-harm
• Footage depicting crimes or acts of violence, either genuine or fake.

5. Additional Information

Style Manual (The standard for Australian writing and editing): https://www.stylemanual.gov.au/